Trap



April 28, 1925.

1,535,388 c. WILCOX TRAP Filed NOV. 11. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W: 3 NIR(0 r6 ie L/u'leoae April 28, 1925. 1,535,388

' c. WILCOX TRAP Filed Nov. 11''. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "1| Rs Qgvwentor 1g i To all whom it may concern:

1 proved trap whereby certain important adcrating rock arin forcontrolling the opera-' Fatented Apr. 28, 1925s coasts wrtcox, or MART,TEXAS.

'rzaAr.

Applicationfiled November 11, 1924. Serial No. 749,244..

Be it known that I, ConBInl VILoox, a citizen of the UnitediSta-tes,residing at Mart, in the county of McLennan and State of Texas, haveinvented certain new and usefulImprovements in Traps, of. which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in trapsand itis anobject of the inventionto'provide a novel and improved device of: thisgeneral character including a rotatable platform together with means forrotating the platform uponm'ovement of a trigger by the victim.

. Another object of the invention isto pro-- vide a novel and.improveddevice of this general character employing a rotatingplatformtogether with means whereby said platformis automatically reset.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in thecombination and ar rangementof the several parts of my imvantages areattained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwisemore convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter morefully set forth;

hereinafter Ybe definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the- Figure 1 1s a view in sideelevation illustrating a trap constructed 111 accordance 'with anembodiment of, my invention;

position;

Figurinfii is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating certain partsina third position particularly during a reset of the platform; 1

Figure t is a fragmentary view in perspective of the outer end portionof the option of the platform;

Figure 5is a view in top plan of the structure as illustrated in Figure1;

Figure 6is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 6-6 ofFigure 5.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings. H denotes a housing ofrequisite dimensions and which has its top at oneend portiondisposed ona downward and out-v ward incline to provide a runway 1 whereby thevictim may readily climb upon the top wall 2 of the housing. y e v Thetop wall 2 at a point in relatively close proximity to the runway 1 isprovided Wltll an opening ,3 extending substantially entirely across thetop wall 2 and which opening is adapted to be normally closed bytherotating platform 4:. g g

The central portion of the platform .4 is

fixed to a shaft 5 extending transversely. across the top wall .2 of thehousing H and having each end portion rotatably supported by anupstanding bearing 6 herein disclosed as secured to a side Wall 7 ofthishousing H. The shaft 5 extendsbeyond opposite sides of the housingHand fixed to one extended end portion of the shaft 5 is the gear Smeshing with a gear 9 fixed to a driving shaft 10." This shaft 10 ismounted upon and disposedtransversely of the top wall 2 v of thehousingI-l and is rotatably supported by the bearings 11. The shaft 10together with the gear 9 is adapted to be rotated in the directionindicated by the arrow at by K the clock spring 12, such rotation of theThe novel features of my invention will shaft 10 and gear 9 operating torotate the gear 8 and the shaft 5 in the direction indicated by thearrow 6. y

The opposite extended portion of the shaft 5 has fixedthereto adependingrock arm 1 L. The free end portion of this lever 14: is provided with anoutstanding member 15 which is engaged through an elongated f slot 16provided in the holding lever 17. Figure 2 1s 'a fragmentary view ncleva-; tion illustrating certain parts 1n a second One end portion ofthe lever 17 being pivotally connected, as at 18, forvertical swin ingmovement to the adjacent side wall 7 6r? the housing H. The slot 16 isof a length to permit a complete rotation of the shaft 5 withouthindrance or, obstruction being offered to such rotation by the rock arm14%. i The free end portion ofthe lever 17 is provided with anupstanding bill 19 disposed on desired incline with respect to the lever17 and with which is adapted toengage the bill 20 of the upstanding hookmember 21 pivotally connected, as at 22, to the side wall 7 just.referred to. With the bill 20 of the hook member 21 in engagement, withthe bill 19 of the lever 17 the lever 17 through the medium of therockial arm 14L holds the shaft 5 and the gear 8 against rotation with theplatform 4 in a position to substantially close the opening 3 and alsoin a position substantially eoplanar with the top wall 2 of the housingH.

The pivoted end portion of the hook member 21 is provided with anangularly disposed arm 23 extending beyond the adjacent end of thehousing H. Fixed to the outer or free end portion of the arm 23 is aflexible member 24 which extends down inwardly and disposed through theguide openings 25 provided in the outstanding fixed arm 26 carried bythe housing H. The flexible member 24 extends upwardly of the adjacentend of the housing H and through the suitable guides 27 over the topwall 2 and secured to an end portion of a trigger 28. This trigger 28 issupported substantially intermediate its ends for vertical swingingmovement by an upstanding bearing post 29 mounted upon the top wall 4The opposite end portion of the trigger 28 partially overlies theopening 3 and said end portion has tied or otherwise securec thereto thebait 30.

As the victim passes up the runway 1 to reach the bait 30 such victimwill be posi tione'd upon the platform 41- and as the victim exerts pullupon the bait 30 the outer end of the trigger 28 will be swung upwardlyresulting in sufficient pull upon the flexible member 24 to swing thebill 20 of the hook member '21 'out of engagement with the bill 19 ofthe lever 17, whereupon the spring 12 will function to cause the meshinggears 9 and 8 to rotate the shaft 5 together with the platform 4:,resulting in the victim being cast within the housing H.

The shaft 5 "outwardly of the gear 8 is provided with a second rock arm31 which, when the shaft 5 has made substantially a three quarters turncontact from above with a shoe 32 pivotally connected, as at 33, withthe outer end portion of a rock arm 34:. This rock arm 34 is fixed to an'e'X-tremity of a shaft 35 extending across an end wall of the housing Hadjacent to the arm 26 and at a point between said arm 26 and the armThe opposite end portion of the shaft 35 has fixed thereto the disc '36having the straight edge '37 which is substantially horizontallydisposed "when the p lirtform 4: is in its normal or closed position.When the hook member 21 is disengaged from the lever 17 the arm 23 comesin contact with said st-raigh'tedge 37 as isparticularly illustrated inFigure 2 of the accompanying drawings. When the arm 31 comes intoContact with the shoe 32, the continued movement of the arm 31will'swing the arm 3% downwardly resulting in a rotation of the shaft 35and the disc 36, said rotation being inwardly and downwardly resultingthe straight edge 37 moving'inwardly to ward the housing H andconstituting a cam to raise the arm 23 upwardly and conse qucntly swingthe hook member 21 inwardly to bring the bill 20 in the path of travelof the bill 19'so that as the arm 17 is swung 1' wheel and dependingtherefrom is a flexible member ll to which is secured a member 42 ofdesired weight. This weight 42 serves to normally maintain the disc 36in its position mrticularh; illustrated in Figures 1 and 2,

said weighted member 42 functions to return the disc 36 to such positionwhen the arm 31 passes down free of the shoe 32.

Through the medium of the disc 36 and the arms 31 and 84, the platform lis automatically reset so that after a capture, the trap is in properadjustment for another victim.

Arranged within the housing H adjacent one end thereof is a block orhead 43 pro vided at its central portion with an upstanding stem orplunger 44 which is disposed through the top wall 2 of the housing. Thishead or block43 is employed to kill a victim received within the housingH, it being understood that the victim is caused to be positionedbetween the bottom wall of the housing and the block or head as whereinupon requisite pressure being imposed upon the stem or plunger l4 thevictim will be crushed to death. In order to remove the victim a sidewall 7 of the housing H is provided with a normally closed door 45.

When it is desired to rewind the spring 12 the shoe 32 is swing to aposition to be out of the path of travel of the arm 31 whereby said arm31 may be readily rotated in a direction to wind said spring.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a trapconstructed in accordance with my invention is par ticularly welladapted for use by reason of the connm'ience and facility with whichitmay be assembled. and operated and it will also be obvious that myinvention is susceptible of some change and modification withoutdeparting from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason Ido not wish to be understood as lin'iiting myself to the precisearrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carryingout my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim 1. A trap comprising, in combination a housing having an openingin its top wall,

a rotatable platformfor closing said opening, power means for rotatingsaid platform, an arm rotating with the platform, a pivoted lever, saidlever being operatively engaged with the arm, means engaging the leverto hold the arm and platform against rotation when the platform is inclosed position, a bait trigger, and means operating upon movement ofthe trigger for releasing the holding means from the lever.

A. trap comprising, in combination a housing having an opening in itstop wall, a rotatable platform for closing said opening, power means forrotating said platform, an arm rotating with t-heplatform, a pivotedlever, said lever being operatively engaged with the arm, means engagingthe lever to hold the arm and platform against rotation when theplatform is in closed position, a ba t trigger, means operatmg uponmovement of the trigger for releasing the holding means from the lever,andmeans operating as the platform rotates for resetting said holdingmeans.

8. A trap provided with a housing with an opening inits top, a shaftdisposedacross said opening in the housing, a platform carried by theshaft and rotating therewith, said platform when in one position closingsaid opening, driving means for rotating the shaft and platform, anoutstanding arm carried by the shaft, a lever pivotally supported by thehousing, said arm and lever being operatively connected, a swinging hookmember carried by the housing and engaging the lever to hold theplatform in closed position, a bait trigger, and an operative connectionbetween thebait trigger and thehook member for disengaging the hookmember from the lever upon movement of the bait trigger.

t. A trap provided withahousing with an opening in its top, a shaftdisposed across said opening in thehousing, a platform carried by theshaft, and rotating illGl'GWltll, said platform when in, one positionclosing said opening, driving meansfor rotating the shaft and platform,an outstanding arm carried by the shaft, a lever pivotally supported bythe housing, said arm and lever being operatively connected, a swinginghook member carried by the housing and engaging the lever to hold theplatform in closed position, a bait trigger, an operative connectionbetween the bait trigger and the hook member for disengaging the hookmember from the lever upon movement of the bait trigger, and means ope'ated from the shaft for returning the hook member in position to engagethe lever to hold the platform in closed position.

5. A trap provided with a housing with an opening in its top, a shaftdisposed across said opening in the housing, a platform carried by theshaft and rotating therewith, said platform when in one position closingsaid'opening, driving means for rotating the shaft andplatform, anoutstanding arm carried by the shaft, a lever pivotally sup ported bythe housing, said arm and lever being operatively connected, a swinginghook member carried by the housing and engaging the lever to hold theplatform in closed position, a bait trigger, an operative connectionbetween the bait trigger and the hook member for disengaging the hookmember from the lever upon movement of the bait trigger, an outstandingarm car ried by the hook member, a shaft, a cam member carried by theshaft and with which the arm of the hook member engages when said hookmember is in released position, and coacting means carried by both ofthe shafts for rocking the second shaft in a direction during therotation of the first named shaft to cause the camto move the arm of asignature.

CORBIE VVILCOX.

